University chosen for two postgraduate funding initiatives

The University of Brighton has been selected to join two multi-million pound initiatives to nurture the next generation of arts and humanities researchers.

Published 15 October 2013

The projects will receive more than £15m in grants which will fund around 200 new full-time studentships per year over the next five years with the aim of training highly-skilled researchers in disciplines across the arts and humanities.

The grants were unveiled today by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) which funds world-class, independent research in subjects from design to the creative and performing arts.

The AHRC is funding a total of 18 consortiums starting in 2014 and the University of Brighton has been selected to collaborate in two.

Professor Julian Crampton, University of Brighton Vice-Chancellor, said: "Our selection is a clear endorsement of the university's standing in the world of arts and humanities and builds on the strength of our Doctoral College.

"It will enhance our ability to attract students of the highest calibre and, in turn, provide them with a stimulating research environment."

Professor Bruce Brown, the University of Brighton's Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), said: "This double success confirms that the university's strategic investment in a new Doctoral College and £5m for doctoral studentships has been a wise investment. The Doctoral College brings together research degree students, their supervisors, directors of postgraduate studies and specialist research degree administrators. Within this the distinctive character of doctoral research across the arts and humanities, especially in practice-based subjects, has been embraced and advanced."

Professor Anne Boddington, Dean of the University of Brighton's Faculty of Arts, said: "This success recognises the research study culture at Brighton and the Faculty's international standing in the creative and performing arts, architecture, design, media and the humanities."

Professor Jonathan Woodham, the University of Brighton's Director of Research and Development (Arts and Humanities), said: "The Faculty of Arts has systematically pursued an explicit strategy of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, inter-relating critical theory, contemporary practices and their histories. This has generated fresh fields of interdisciplinary enquiry, stimulating insights that question current practices and foster new understandings. The researcher development programme reflects best practice in the field and offers development opportunities for students and supervisors."

Professor Woodham said the University of Brighton's selection for two consortiums "reflects our reputation as a partner of high quality."

One consortium has received £13.5m to fund around 176 postgraduate students. It is led by Royal Holloway, University of London, and comprises seven universities which will work together as a Doctoral Training Partnership to provide students with diverse training and expertise from all members. Other partners include Kingston University, Royal College of Art, and University of the Arts London.

Student training will be enhanced by placements with 13 arts and cultural organisations, including the Barbican, the Natural History Museum, the British Film Institute, the Science Museum and the Museum of London.

Called TECHNE, the consortium will collaborate with the V&A, Museum of London, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, National Maritime Museum, Barbican Centre, Rose Theatre, British Film Institute, and Brighton Festival and Dome.

The second consortium, called the Design Star Consortium: 'strength in diversity', is led by University of Reading, and will deliver postgraduate supervision, training and skills development.

Its grant of more than £2m will fund around 30 studentships and will be used for postgraduate development, skills and training, alongside new research projects considered vital to academia and the wider sectors.

The universities of Brighton and Reading will be working in collaboration with Loughborough, The Open University, and Goldsmiths in partnership with a host of organisations and institutions including: the V&A, Design Museum and Microsoft Research.

The University of Brighton was selected for its expertise in design research.

The AHRC said the new funding "provides greater flexibility for higher education institutions, creating rich training environments both within and across disciplines. This will include an allocation of resources for placement opportunities and additional skills training. The awards will also provide for cohort development activities to support joint supervision of students, sharing of resources from across the consortia, further activities such as student events, conferences and the fostering of peer support networks."

Professor Mark Llewellyn, Director of Research for the AHRC, said: "This investment by the AHRC will not only support university researchers but also enrich the contexts in which arts and humanities skills and capabilities engage with and contribute to advancement and growth in sectors across the wider UK economy."